AATS Grant Writing Workshop Bethesda, MD March 4, 2011 John S. Ikonomidis MD, PhD, FRCS(C), FACS, FAHA, FACC The Career Goal: Independent Investigator (R01) Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina

Presenter Disclosure Information The Career Goal: Independent Investigator (R01) Disclosure Information: The following relationship(s) exist related to this presentation: John S. Ikonomidis – Grant recipient: NIH Consultant: W.L. Gore and Associates On-X Life Technologies, Inc.

Mission Accomplished: Federal Grant Application Funded!! Congratulations!! The time has come to “make good” on your promises There is a lot of research to do Not a lot of time to do it (!) Non-competing renewal is less than a year away!!!

Outline: Time Management Recruiting and hiring a PhD Scientist Strategies for completing research Important activities How to avoid being a “one hit wonder”

Time Management Must balance your research time with clinical, administrative, professional and teaching responsibilities Must understand your limitations and learn to say no to non critical opportunities Must learn to “minimize and streamline”

Time Management 2007: Federal Demonstration Partnership study on research and related activities 73 Institutions, 6081 respondents 90% PIs on at least one grant Assist/Assoc/Full Prof: 22/24/54% PI Support: 49% NIH, 32% NSF, 11% DoD 35% Bio/Life Sciences, 16% Health Sciences

Time Management 58% overall time spent doing research (44% active research, 14% mentoring students and postdocs) Research Management Review 2009;16(2):1-13

Time Management 42% of research time spent on administrative activities rather than actual research activity Research Management Review 2009;16(2):1-13

Time Management Administrative Burdens (In Order of Importance) 1. IRB protocols and training 2. IACUC protocols and training 3. Training personnel and students 4. Grant report submissions 5. IRB compliance issues 6. IACUC compliance issues 7. Personnel hiring 8. Project revenue management 9. HIPAA compliance 10. Subcontracting and collaborations 11. Safety planning and monitoring 12. Equipment and supply purchases

Time Management: Infrastructure is Critical! Need a good business administrator to handle and be proactive about grants accounting issues. A second person to centralize ordering of supplies, protocol submissions, revisions, amendments and renewals, and project audits is extremely helpful

Time Management: Infrastructure is Critical! Cannot fund these salaries from direct costs Indirect costs: ~ 40% of direct costs, but usually very little comes back to the PI Strategies: Negotiate indirect cost return upfront Negotiate coverage with Division or Department expenses Discretionary fund from Industry collaboration Need $15,000 - $20,000 per $100,000 directs for this

Consider Hiring a PhD Scientist Individual who is genuinely interested in “bench to bedside” research Experience with small and large animal models would be great Ability to train to do animal surgery would be ideal Broad cellular and molecular biology experience optimal – but in particular must be aligned with your intended areas of study

Consider Hiring a PhD Scientist Negotiate with Division or Department Chair Helpful if you indicated you would be doing this should your application hit You can pay for half if the Chair can pay for half You will take this salary off the Chair’s books by getting independent funding for the PhD Roughly, a 4 year proposition. Also means that you must renew your grant to maintain the PhDs salary

Consider Hiring a PhD Scientist? Complimentary set of skills – usually synergistic rather than additive PhD handles the lab full time while you are busy being a doctor most of the time Together, you brainstorm new projects, write papers, split up the writing of new grants This is potentially a very powerful mechanism, with many precedents in our field, but may not work well if you do not remain engaged

Strategies For Performing The Research In theory, this is easy You have already laid out the plan in your grant, so just need to follow it and your timeline In practice, running a lab is challenging

Set and adhere as much as possible to timelines – abstract and non-competing renewal deadlines useful! Have regular lab meetings and do not cancel them Don’t be a stranger in your own lab Research fellows very helpful but require time to mentor Spend directs early, monitor your budget carefully Strategies For Performing The Research

Important Activities “Positioning yourself” for continued success is important

Important Activities Institutional Collaborate, Collaborate, Collaborate Institutional teaching opportunities Faculty committees, thesis committees Attend institutional town hall meetings and be a supporting voice

Important Activities External Find out who is on your intended study section and invite them to your institution as visiting professor Hunt down study section members at meetings, attend their talks, discuss their research with them and solicit their ideas about yours “Volunteer” as ad hoc journal reviewer Serve as ad hoc reviewer or member of a study section (!)

Serving on a study section: Allows you to see first hand whether your new ideas are timely and you are on right track with your future studies. Time consuming!! Sometimes “backfires” on you How to Avoid Being a “One Hit Wonder”

At about the halfway point, need to start thinking about your competitive renewal What about the discoveries that you have made so far are so compelling that further study of them would form the basis for a new R01? Need to plan to have (at least one) publication describing your prelim data for your next grant submission.

Summary Executing the administrative and scientific requirements of federal grant-funded research is complex Administrative infrastructure is critical, additional scientific expertise very helpful Must adhere to established timelines Must stay current and relevant, while keeping an eye on the future